Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher / Hanoi-Sept. 2017

Again a nice autumn migration season for this scarce species in Hanoi with many (at least 8-10) sightings (1st one 1st Sept) both in Vuon nhan and Bach Thao. In the video above, the dark lower mandible-tip indicate this is a 1st winter bird.

Cyornis brunneatus breeds in southeast China and spends the winter in peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. It is uncommon even in its core range and virtually unrecorded in Vietnam outside Hanoi!

The IUCN lists the species as Vulnerable because of the loss of mature primary lowland forest throughout its range.

Spring raptor migration at Tam Dao

Last year I (Tom Kompier) had quite a good day at Tam Dao for raptors (see the blog entry) on April 10. Last Saturday (April 8) the clouds above Hanoi seemed ready to dissipate around noon, so I drove up to give it a try. At first not a lot seemed to be happening, but after an hour or so harriers started moving, and soon I had a male Pied Harrier accompanying 4 Eastern Marsh Harriers. A little after that a large pale raptor appeared that had me puzzled for a while, until it finally dawned on me it was a Short-toed Eagle. A very rare bird in Vietnam indeed. The field guide only mentions it as a vagrant from Annam. But there it was. It turned into an eventful day after all.
Below the totals (12.30 - 17.00, from the Belvedere Resort):

Eastern Marsh Harrier 34
Pied Harrier 4 (3 males, 1 female)
Shikra 1 male
Japanese Sparrowhawk 6+
Chinese Sparrowhawk 20+
Eurasian Sparrowhawk 2+ (and about 15+ unidentified)
Jerdon's Baza 17
Black Baza 50 (one group)
Oriental Honey Buzzard 15+
Grey-faced Buzzard 3
Crested Serpent Eagle 5+
Osprey 1
Kestrel 1 (resident?)
Crested Goshawk 2 resident
Peregrine 1 resident

I also made a few record shots:

Short-toed Eagle

 Pied Harrier, males

 Eastern Marsh Harrier, male

 Eastern Marsh Harrier, female

Chinese Sparrowhawk, males

Flock of Black Bazas